As the region’s multifront conflict enters a dangerous new phase, the American Jewish Committee is tracking — and responding to — rapidly escalating hostilities involving Iran-backed forces, renewed ceasefire stalemates, congressional action against online antisemitism, and a record mobilisation of student advocates heading to Washington this spring.

🌐The Iran Standoff

The weekend brought a significant breakdown in ceasefire diplomacy. President Trump publicly rejected Tehran’s latest proposal, which reportedly included reopening the Strait of Hormuz within thirty days alongside a fifteen-year pause on uranium enrichment, with nuclear negotiations deferred until after the strait’s reopening. Trump instead announced “Project Freedom,” a U.S.-led escort operation for commercial shipping through the strategic waterway, deploying guided-missile destroyers, more than 100 aircraft, multi-domain unmanned platforms, and 15,000 service members. Iran warned it would attack any U.S. forces entering the strait.

🔴Hezbollah & Hamas: Terror Groups Refuse Disarmament

On Lebanon’s northern front, Hezbollah publicly declared it has no intention of disarming even as Israel and Lebanon negotiate a ceasefire and normalisation framework. The terrorist organisation fired five rockets at the northern Israeli village of Avivim on Sunday, prompting the Israel Defense Forces to locate and identify launch sites and additional rockets in South Lebanon. Cross-border exchanges of fire continue on a near-daily basis.

In Gaza, Hamas told President Trump’s Board of Peace it would not fully surrender its weapons, offering instead to negotiate within a Palestinian state framework. Separately, IDF troops killed Hamas operatives who approached ceasefire buffer zones — one of whom intelligence identified as having personally launched rockets into Israel during the war.

🤝AJC BRIDGE Summit Bridges Middle East & Miami Business Leaders

Against the backdrop of ongoing hostilities, the American Jewish Committee hosted its Middle East BRIDGE-Miami Summit as part of Israel Tech Week in Miami — convening real estate and business leaders from Israel, the Arab world, and South Florida. The goal: to build a more interconnected and economically prosperous Middle East, a central mission of AJC’s Center for a New Middle East.

Miami-Dade County issued an official proclamation recognising the summit’s historic significance, and Miami Mayor Daniella Levine Cava spoke to its potential as a platform for regional bridge-building. An AJC panel moderated by board member Pamela Berkowsky featured senior U.S., UAE, and Bahrain business figures discussing post-war opportunities and challenges.

⚖️Bipartisan Resolution Targets Online Antisemitism

Last week, Congressman Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Congressman Mike Lawler (R-NY) jointly introduced H.Res.1239, a bipartisan resolution condemning antisemitic rhetoric spread by prominent online personalities — including Hasan Piker and Candace Owens — and calling on social media platforms and public leaders to take stronger, more consistent action against hate speech.

AJC’s State of Antisemitism in America 2025 Report found that 73 percent of American Jews experienced antisemitism online in the past year — the statistic underpinning the urgency of the resolution. AJC CEO Ted Deutch praised Reps. Gottheimer and Lawler for crossing the aisle to confront hate in all its forms. Read AJC’s full statement and learn more about how influencers are mainstreaming antisemitism online →

🎓Campus Antisemitism: Michigan Commencement Incident & AJC Fellowship

As commencement season arrives, campus tensions remain high. At the University of Michigan’s 2026 graduation ceremony, the president of the faculty senate departed from pre-approved remarks to inject anti-Israel political commentary before thousands of graduating students and their families. University President Domenico Grasso subsequently issued a formal apology, calling the remarks “hurtful and insensitive” and clarifying they did not represent the institution’s position.

AJC CEO Ted Deutch, a proud Michigan alum, issued a pointed response: “Commencement should be a moment to model leadership and shared values. The faculty senate president had that chance and instead chose to hijack a unifying moment.” He urged the university’s president and Board of Regents to exercise clear, consistent leadership.

AJC has published a resource for campus administrators on how to mitigate protests at graduations and commencements → — guidance designed to protect the dignity of graduates while upholding inclusion and free expression.

On a more hopeful note, AJC announced a new Campus Fellowship launching at AJC Global Forum 2026 in Washington, D.C. The fellowship encompasses three tracks for: AJC Leaders for Tomorrow high school alumni; Greek Life-affiliated students; and global student leaders. More than 200 students from 25 countries are expected to participate in the Forum, engaging in programming around leadership, advocacy, Jewish identity, and campus civic life.

📅AJC Global Forum 2026 — Washington D.C., May 31–June 2

AJC’s flagship annual gathering convenes more than 2,000 advocates in Washington, D.C. from May 31 through June 2. The Forum addresses ensuring Jewish communities are safe and thriving globally, strengthening Israel’s standing in the international community, and charting a path forward for the Middle East. Register for AJC Global Forum 2026 →

• Confronting Iranian regime aggression and its terror proxy networks
• Strengthening the Abraham Accords framework and exploring the Isaac Accords
• Combating the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement at the state level
• Addressing online antisemitism and the role of digital influencers
• Protecting Jewish life and advocacy on college campuses